What Common Injuries Do Our Construction Injury Lawyers See?
Construction site accidents impact the party injured in several ways. These accidents range from minor inconveniences to serious and catastrophic injury – even death. Several factors contribute to the safety, productivity, and efficiency of a construction workplace. Causes that influence these risks range from human error and/or negligence to mechanical malfunction environmental factors and more. One accident can lead to another, so knowing the most common injuries and their causes can go a long way toward avoiding them altogether.
Safety is vitally important at any construction site. It directly correlates to efficiency, quality, and productivity. Construction worksite accidents are most commonly due to a lack of training, a lack of supervision, an inability to carry out a task safely, or due to a failure to pay attention to detail and carelessness.
What do these construction site injuries include?
- Head & Brain Injuries
- Eye Injury & Vision Damage
- Neck, Back, & Spinal Cord Injuries
- Broken Bones
- Severe Contusions
- Amputations
- Burns
- Crush Injuries
- Chemical/Electrical/Smoke Exposure or Illness
- Psychological Harm
- Death
In the United States, the number one most common type of construction injury is falling. Falls account for over one-third of all construction site accidents and injuries annually. The severity of these falls depends upon circumstances such as height, ground conditions, surrounding equipment (ladders, building materials, scaffolding, etc.), and landing. Slips and trips contribute to this statistic as well.
Each year, The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) publishes its statistics for data pertaining to a variety of workplace conditions. According to their reports, accidents with injuries affect one in ten construction site workers every year. Of these, OSHA states that the leading cause of these injuries is from falls that occur at construction sites. This estimate is further supported by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). According to BLS, approximately 150,000 construction site injuries occur each year, with falls accounting for the greatest number of these accidents. Crushing/contact injuries ranked among the highest causes as well. As a result, at least 15% of Worker’s Compensations claims and expenses are directly the result of construction site injury claims.
Moving vehicles and equipment are everywhere on a construction site, and workers are often severely hurt by swinging heavy equipment, materials shifting or being transferred from place to place, or just being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Crushing injuries and amputations also account for these types of striking damages.
Improper handling of things like water supply, natural gas, asbestos, lead paint, & electricity can contribute to catastrophic injury and every precaution must be taken to signal those onsite workers to use the utmost care when working with them. Live wires are often found in older buildings during renovation. Loose wires frequently cause accidental burns and/or electrocution. Proper signage, signaling, caution, containment, and disposal, as well as complete and appropriate employee training, are critical keys to safety.
Motorized machinery can have swift and serious consequences when poorly operated, managed or maintained. The importance of attentive watchfulness and routine maintenance cannot be overstated when operating heavy equipment. Loose clothing, insufficient safety equipment, and distraction can all contribute to injury and/or death when caught in machinery or equipment.
Factors like hardness and/or consistency of the soil, weather conditions, and moisture can all have a significant impact on the stability of a construction worksite. Underground areas can be just as unpredictable, with voids and water creating unexpected issues. Foundational integrity when renovating can be questionable, and collapse can happen at any time when the groundwork is being performed. These collapses can rapidly sweep away people and equipment in the affected area, resulting in injuries, entrapment, or even death.
Construction sites can easily become messy and disorganized. Heavy rains, liquid spills, leaking water, or certain construction materials can make the ground slippery and unstable. Distraction and/or hurriedness can create unsafe circumstances, resulting in injury and loss. As a result, particular areas may easily present slipping, tripping, or falling hazards to construction workers. Unfortunately, many of these missteps result in injury.
Construction site accidents and injuries can have long-term and sometimes permanent consequences, resulting in emotional, physical, and financial suffering. The team at Kerner Law Group, P.C. are uniquely qualified to assist you with your construction accident injury claim. Our experienced staff has worked with many clients and the situations that have occurred at building or renovation construction sites. If you or a loved one have suffered injury or loss as a result of a construction site accident in the Bronx, call our office today.
Before you contact your workplace insurance company, we recommend speaking with Kerner Law Group, P.C. Insurance companies are in the business of quick settlement and most often these settlements are significantly less than you deserve. Our team will ensure that you are comprehensively represented to get the greatest compensation possible. We do not require any fees from you upfront. We provide a free, no-obligation consultation. We only collect our fee when you and your family have been awarded the compensation you deserve. We’re available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to answer any questions you may have about your case. When applicable and if necessary, we’ll come to you – our attorney can travel to your home or hospital, at your request.
About The Law Offices of Stuart M. Kerner
If you’ve been injured and are looking to obtain the best possible outcome in your situation, the Kerner Law Group, P.C. in The Bronx can help you. Our firm has obtained favorable results for injury victims and their families throughout the state of New York in personal injury cases such as auto accidents, oilfield accidents, traumatic brain injuries, and serious personal injuries.
Our law firm offers a free consultation to discuss your accident and review the legal remedies available to you. We’re available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have about your case. Above all, you shouldn’t feel alone and isolated after an accident. If you’ve been hurt in an accident, we’ll come to you. Our attorney can travel to your home or hospital, at your request.
